Attaining Supreme Shelter by Worshiping God's Lotus Feet
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the path of spiritual perfection requires an absolute surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By carefully studying his instructions, we learn that worshiping the Lord's lotus feet is the ultimate source of protection, purifying the heart of all material desires and firmly establishing the soul in its eternal, loving relationship with God.
The Ultimate Goal of Devotional Service
The central focus of all spiritual practice is to take shelter of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that by abandoning mundane occupational duties to constantly meditate upon and worship His lotus feet, a sincere devotee attains absolute harmony and perfection.
- A pure devotee who is in absolute harmony with the Lord does not create perplexities, but worships the lotus feet of the Lord at every moment, taking them into his heart.
- As recommended in Srimad-Bhagavatam, tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh. One should take to the worship of the lotus feet of Hari, even if this means giving up the so-called occupational duty assigned because of the particular body one has accepted.
- For the neophyte, the important processes are those of hearing & chanting (sravanam kirtanam), remembering Krsna, worshiping the Deity in the temple, offering prayers and always engaging in the service of the Lord, & worshiping the lotus feet of the Lord.
Worshiped by Exalted Personalities
The supremacy of the Lord's lotus feet is recognized throughout the entire universe. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that even the greatest demigods, such as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, continually offer their respectful worship to attain their empowered qualifications.
- Prahlada Maharaja said: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are universally worshiped; even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva worship Your lotus feet. Yet although You are such a great personality, You have kindly promised to protect us, the demons.
- Suniti continued: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is so great that simply by worshiping His lotus feet, your great-grandfather, Lord Brahma, acquired the necessary qualifications to create this universe.
- After devotedly worshiping the upraised lotus feet of the Supreme Lord with oblations of water, Lord Brahma, who was born of the lotus emanating from Lord Visnu's navel, offered prayers to the Lord.
Protection from Material Existence
The cycle of repeated birth and death is a formidable ocean, but taking shelter of the Lord guarantees safety. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that sober individuals worship the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He alone can grant ultimate welfare and protection.
- My dear Lord, You can save me from this cycle of cause and effect. I worship Your lotus feet.
- O most exalted and worshipable Lord, best of those who bestow benediction, You can fulfill the desires of everyone, and therefore those who are sober, for their own welfare, worship the dust of Your lotus feet.
- Worship of Your lotus feet is never useless because You are the supreme friend and dearmost Supersoul of everyone. You have therefore manifested Your form as a fish.
The Impurity of Speculative Knowledge
Academic brilliance and philosophical speculation are of no real value without pure devotion. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that even if one is considered a highly advanced jñānī, their knowledge remains completely impure if they neglect to worship the Lord's lotus feet.
- Although one may be accepted as a jnani, or one advanced in knowledge, his knowledge is considered impure because he has no information of devotional service and thus neglects the direct worship of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- This person is puffed up because of his achievements, thinking, "I am the best." He does not deserve to approach the shelter of Lord Visnu's lotus feet, which are worshiped by all saintly persons, for he is impudent, thinking himself greatly important.
- If you desire at all to sit on the same throne as your stepbrother, Uttama, then give up your envious attitude and immediately try to execute the instructions of your stepmother. You must engage yourself in worshiping the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda conclusively establishes that the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are the ultimate refuge for all living entities. From neophytes beginning their spiritual journey under the guidance of a bona fide guru, to the greatest universal administrators like Lord Brahmā, everyone must bow down to this supreme shelter. By giving up the futile pursuit of speculative knowledge and material achievements, and instead dedicating one's life to this pure worship, a Vaiṣṇava easily crosses over the dangerous cycle of cause and effect. Ultimately, following in the footsteps of the exalted gopīs, one who unconditionally worships the Lord's lotus feet achieves the highest perfection of transcendental love and eternal harmony.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Worshiping God's Lotus Feet. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.